BREAKING: Panera CEO Steps Down

Panera CEO Jose Alberto Dueñas stepped down from his role as CEO today, with current CFO Paul Carbone taking his place until a permanent position holder is found. What could this mean for the future of the chain?

Circana Offers Advice for Avoiding Next Supply Chain Crisis

A new report urges grocers and manufacturers to adopt proactive strategies to navigate supply chain disruptions using real-time data analysis. Highlighting recent events like the Listeria-tainted meat recalls, the report underscores the importance of adapting swiftly to prevent inventory downturns during crises.

Fiber: The Unsung Hero of Athletic Performance, Overall Health

Most Americans fall short of recommended fiber intake levels. Nutrition expert and Olympic cyclist Dotsie Bausch notes there are numerous misconceptions around fiber and its benefits for gut health and disease prevention.

Brooke Rollins, Trump’s Ag Secretary Choice, Targets Foreign Farm Ownership

Donald Trump has nominated Brooke L. Rollins, a farm-raised leader of the America First Policy Institute, as his pick for agriculture secretary. She’s expected to focus on tightening regulations around foreign ownership of U.S. farmland.

Cava’s Secret Sauce: The QSR Is So Hot Right Now

The latest financial data shows Cava is enjoying tremendous success, outpacing the fast-casual dining segment and sustaining jaw-dropping growth. Some of this success is likely thanks to its Gen Z engagement strategy.

Dynamic Menu, Savvy Marketing Key to Taco Bell Success, Experts Say

Taco Bell has achieved 11 consecutive quarters of growth. The keys, experts note, include targeted digital marketing, limited-time offers, and innovative menu updates that resonate with young consumers and drive repeat visits.

Modern ‘Boss Mindset’ Entails Empowering Employees, Leaders Say

At a recent Hugo Boss event, The Food Institute’s Brian Choi and Jump Rope Innovation’s Robyn Carter discussed effective modern leadership and the state of the food industry today.

Impactful Leadership on Display at IFDA Conference

Conversations around emerging technology, economic conditions, and differentiated workforces, took center stage at the 2024 Solutions Conference, hosted by the International Foodservice Distributors Association (IFDA).

Guest Column: Explaining CEOs’ Short Shelf Life in 2024

The pressure is on restaurant chain CEOs to deliver fast in 2024. Private equity is largely to blame, according to one industry leader.

AI-Driven CPG Platform Keychain Adds Former Whole Foods Exec to Key Role

CPG manufacturing platform Keychain has appointed Mitchell Madoff to Head of Retail Partnerships. The Foxtrot transplant and former Head of Whole Foods Private Label brings with him an extensive background in CPG and private label spanning over two decades.

Mountain Mike’s Pizza Plans to Reach the Upper Crust

The newly minted CEO isn’t oblivious to Mountain Mike’s challenges in its crowded sector. For example, Metevier knows he needs to be sensitive to labor costs now that his California-based chain must deal with that state’s recent implementation of a $20 minimum wage (85% of the chains locations are based within the Golden State.)

How Hormel and JM Smucker Are Beating the Market

It’s not hard to understand why these companies have found success in a challenging environment. These are comfort food manufacturers (among other things!) whose identities, infrastructure, and revenue are built upon foods people reach for when they’re feeling down, feeling squeezed, or both.

Report Reveals Scarcity of Retail Innovation

From number-crunching untold volumes of data to helping streamline inventory, supply chain, and predictive market trends, there is no digital limit to what AI can help operators achieve.

Chick-fil-A is the Fast-Food Customer Service King

Employees at Chick-fil-A’s 3,000-plus locations “are trained to genuinely care about the customer’s experience,” said Courtney Haywood, a brand manager and the CEO of Courtney Haywood Agency Partners.

FI Spotlight: Navigating the Employer-Employee Relationship

Significant rises in both union election petitions and widespread strikes underscore a stark disconnect between employers and employees.

Walmart Defines Adaptive Retail, the Next Evolution in Shopping

“Choose a future that puts people first – if we keep doing that, we can help people around the world live a better life. That’s what we want to do – that’s the world we want to help create.”

CEOs’ Secrets to Success in the New Year

“Remember that running a food and beverage business can sometimes be akin to ‘buying yourself a job;’ it may not always guarantee immediate or substantial returns on investment.”

Corporate Transparency Act Bringing Big Change to F&B Businesses

Add “Compliance with Corporate Transparency Act” to your New Year’s resolution list. Beginning on Jan. 1, 2024, businesses across all industries will need to file a Beneficial Ownership Information Report (BOI Report) with the U.S. …

Column: Leaders Must Prepare for The Great Separation in 2023

What companies need in 2023 are strategic leaders that can challenge the status quo and aren’t institutionalized by conventional wisdom.